Looks like java written by a c programmer... Which is not all that unexpected. Main problem with it is a severe lack of comments. First comment it then refactor so you might be able to deal with it longer term.

If the rest of android is anything like this then there's a lot of work to do for anyone trying to maintain it long term.

Good programmers have learned to write maintainable code... If they don't then they are not a guru, they are a hack.

To be clear. I'm not saying I LIKE apples approach. Goodness knows they have made life quite difficult for Java over the years. Primaraly due to the cone of silence around everything.

Apple's thinking about the end user first and the devs somewhere further down the list. Which isn't such a bad thing.

I did read it. While I don't know the details they appear to be describing either a:

- runtime translator/vm
or
- a compiler that will emit either obj c for xcode or binary level code that can be linked.

If it was just emitting objc that you then use apple's tool chain to create the app for then i suspect apple might give them some slack. But maybe not. Personally I'd question the long term viability of such a solution.

In either of the other cases the point is that there would be other (3rd party) devs creating apps with this high level language. Apple updates their apis in some incompatible way. You then have the issue so two layers that that api change has to go through.

- The abstraction devs.
- The 3rd party devs.

The more 3rd party devs using it... the greater the chance of mass issues when the api changes.

I'm assuming the renrev guys are good guys and want to provide a nice environment for people to develop apps on. But I can also see apple's point (although I don't like it much myself), that they define and control the api for the iP/P. If you want to write apps for it then you gotta use those apis.

From the perspective of an appliance maker it does make a lot of sense to keep the middlemen out of the equation.

And I'd like it if Apple would be at least a bit more open about any number of things (like java 6 being two years behind)... But Apple's been pretty clear about at least a few points:

1. Don't ship crap. Say what you will about the iPad/iPhone... the hardware and software is definitely not crap.
2. Write once run anywhere always has issues (abstraction layers too). I'm a long time java swing guy and >I know that java apps are not ideal for normal end users.
3. Badly performing apps create a stink that gets on everyone.

#3 is ultimately what apple wants to avoid. A bunch of apps written on some third party abstraction layers that ALL break when apple does an update (apple can't QA everything). Then people think the iPhone/Pad suck... not the hidden abstraction layer.

And like it or not they are now at least being consistent about it. No abstaction layers for anyone!

It depends on what you are trying to do. Find something in particular or just browsing.

For finding a specific album it's not so great.

For browsing your collection it can be useful. The album art can grab your attention in ways the plain name never can. And you'll find yourself picking things out based on the 'mood' of the artwork. Which was part of the whole experience way back when.

The grid view can't really show you the same size artwork and let you quickly skim through things. Coverflow does.

Yo dog, we took your boring laptop and added a 7" monitor!